1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to amphibious vehicles, in particular to a boot for protecting parts of the steering mechanism from water.
2. Related Art
Amphibious vehicles, due to being intermittently submerged in water, present special mechanical challenges not encountered with most other vehicles. Many mechanical parts on the underside of an amphibious vehicle are not only exposed to water and other elements under normal road conditions as in terrestrial vehicles, but are completely under water at various points during normal usage. As a result, solutions for protecting moving parts from water penetration on conventional vehicles often prove inadequate for amphibious vehicles.
One such moving part that can be susceptible to water infiltration and damage in amphibious vehicles is the steering knuckle. To permit the front wheels to be driven by a drive shaft while also being pivotable relative to the central portion of the axle, an attachment system is present which transmits force to the wheels in a manner that still allows the ends of the axle to pivot. This attachment system, referred to as a steering knuckle, is part of an oil-containing compartment.
When an amphibious vehicle is operated in water, the front wheels including the steering knuckles are completely submerged. Hydrostatic pressure from the water can lead to the failure of the sealing mechanisms on the knuckles, thereby allowing water to penetrate the gear compartment and also allowing oil to leak out, both of which are undesirable consequences. The area of the steering knuckle that is most at risk for leakage is where the knuckle meets the vehicle axle, which is where movement of the knuckle relative to the axle occurs and thus is where water is most likely to penetrate. When this happens the steering knuckles must be disassembled and rebuilt in order to repair the seals and the gear oil must be replaced. Doing this requires taking the amphibious vehicle out of use for a period of time, also an undesirable consequence.
Many amphibious vehicles that were built long ago for military use are still in service for civilian purposes. Many retrofitted improvements to the original design are added to the vehicles to improve the vehicles' safety and performance, which is important in light of the heavy use the vehicles receive.
What is needed is a way to make water-tight those moving parts of amphibious vehicles that are exposed to water, while still permitting the parts to move and function in a normal manner. This solution must permit access to the parts for routine inspection and servicing. Finally, this solution must be durable and resistant to degradation so as to last for an extended period without needing to be replaced, and it must be resistant to both water and petroleum products.